Excavating mechanism.



No. 732,172. PATBNTED JUNE 30, 1903. W. COLE.

EXGAV ATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION! B1) .20 1902.

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No. 732,172. 'PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

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EXGAVATING MEGHANISM. v

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Patented June 30, 1903.

PAT NT OFFICE.

\VALTER COLE, OF OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON.

EXCAVATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 732,172, dated June 30, 1903.

- Application filed August 26, 1902. Serial No. 121,106. (No model.

To ztZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olympia, county of Thurston, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide simple and effective means for the digging or excavating of narrow ditches for use in the construction of sewer-work or for use in connection with the forming of drain ditches or trenches, to reduce the cost incident to such class of work, and to expedite the removal of the dirt from the line of the trench.

To comprehend the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation illustrating the mechanism in position, the trench or ditch being shown as partly constructed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism disclosed by Fig. 1 of the drawings. Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the mechanism viewed from the forward end of the trench. Fig. 4 is a similar view from the rear end of the trench or discharge end of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the excavating scuppets or scoops. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the return truck or carrier for the empty scuppets or scoops. Fig. 8-is an end view of said carrier.

At each end of a section of the trench or ditch to be cut orexcavated is located a cable or tramway supporting frame A A, the forward frame A consisting of uprights 1 2, united by cross pieces, andthe rear frame consisting of similar pieces 3 4, also united by cross-pieces. The uprights of each frame straddle the line of out. These frames support the cable-tramway, which is formed of two parallel cables 5 6. One end of these cables attach to the rear frame A, while the free ends pass over pulleys 7 of frame A and are attached to the tension-roll 7, working in bearings 8 of the uprights 1 2. The supporting-frame A is somewhat higher than the rear frame A. Consequently the cable-tramway runs at a downward inclination toward the rear supporting-frame. The supporting frames are placed a distance apart of about one hundred (100) feet, the work of excavation being toward the rear supporting-frame A.

To the cables 5 6 is movably secured or attached the hoist-head 8, the same being held in place upon the cables by means of the screw-clamps 9. From this head upwardly extends the hoist-block frame 10,within which are secured and work the hoist-pulleys 10. Through these pulleys Work the hoisting-cables 11, one end of each of which cables connects with the drum 12 of the hoisting-engine 12. To the free end of each cableis attached a hook-block 13, to which is swiveled abuckethook 13. The lower end at of each buckethook is turned, so as to engage with the bosses or studs 14, projecting from the side wallsof the scuppet or scoop 14. To these bosses or studs the guide-rolls 15 are loosely secured, the periphery of each roll being grooved, so as to fit upon the cables of the tramway. The shape of the scuppet or scoop is such that it will approximately'balance itself when filled with dirt.

During the work of excavating the hook block 13 of the hoisting-cables is attached to the laterally-projecting studs 14 of the scuppet or scoop and the said scuppet or scoop held at an inclination by a workman within the trench, so that its cutting edge is presented to the surface of the soil to be removed. As the hoisting=engineisthrownintooperation to wind the hoisting-cables 11 the said scuppet or scoop is drawn upward against the surface of the embankment to be removed at an angle of about forty-five (45) degrees, its rear end being held downward to give proper resistance by means of a workman bearing upon handle 15. During this movement of the scuppet or scoop the cutting edge a thereof cuts into the embankment B and forces the released material therein. As the scuppet or scoop is carried above the embankment or out of reach of the workman the same is guided or steadied in its upward movement by means of the guy-rope 16, one end of which is attached to the swiveled hook 13. In order that the filled scuppet or scoop may be raised to clear the cable-trackway, the scuppets or bucket-scoops are made in length slightly less than the distance between the cables 5 6. As 7 the scuppets or scoops approach the cabletrackway the workman draws upon the guyrope, so as to turn the filled scuppet or bucket crosswise to the track-cables. In this position the scuppet or scoop will readily pass between the cables 5 6, so as to permit of being raised slightly tllereabove. The scuppet or scoop is then turned endwise with the track cable or tramway and by slackening the hoist cables lowered until the guide-rolls 15 rest upon the track-cables 5 6. After the guiderolls engage the track-cables the lowering of the hoist-cables 11 causes the scuppet-hook 13 to disengage from the side bosses or studs 14. Thescuppetorscoopbeingthusreleased, the same by gravity will move downward with its load upon the inclined trackway toward the lower end thereof. As this end of the trackway is reached the forward edge of the scuppet or scoop strikes against the inclined face of the spring-blocks 16, secured within stop 17, and is gradually forced or turned over, so as to empty itself of the load therein. The stop 17 is secured to the trackcables 5 6 by the screw-clamps 17. -As the hoist-cables 11 are lowered within the trench being formed the hook 13 is attached to an-' other scuppet or bucket-scoop waiting to be filled.

After a cut of about thirty (30) feet has been excavated the hoist-head 8 is moved or readjusted upon the track-cables, so as to permit of the scuppet or scoops cutting or excavating a second section of about the same length. This continues until the entire section represented by the distance between the supporting-frames has been excavated and removed. In order to provide against the embankment of the section about to be excavated falling or caving into the excavated subsection, a bulkhead 18 is secured in the trench after the excavation of one section.

Upon the completion of the trench between the supporting-frames the entire apparatus is advanced a distance equal to that excavated and set in position 'for work.

The idea is to keep the work of excavating well in advance of that of building or constructing the sewer-worksay one section, a section being the distance between the supporting-frames-and to permit the excavated material being deposited or dumped onto the sewer-work as completed. In Fig. 1 of the drawings the letter B represents the material dumped onto completed Work. By this means the sewer-work as completed is filled in with the material excavated from the advanced section.

As the scuppet or scoops empty themselves of their load it is required that they be returned to the forward end of the apparatus in order to be within reach of the workman within the trench. For this purpose there is provided a return-carrier 22, the carrier-rolls 22 of which work upon the fixed track 23, se-

cured to the supporting-frame a distance below and to one side of the cable-trackway for the scuppet or scoops, Fig. 2 of the drawings. This return-carrier is provided with one or more supporting-hooks 23, over which fits the handle 15 of the scuppet or scoop, Fig. 1 of the drawings. The scuppet or buckets after emptying are removed by an operator located at the dump from the cable-trackway and hooked to the return-carrier. By means of a cable-clamp 24:, attached to the returncarrier, the said carrier is clamped to the endless cable 24, which runs over pulleys 25 25,

secured to the supporting-frames. The free ends of this cable are attached to a gipsy 26, operated by the hoistingengine 12. This gipsy is operated when it is desired to convey the empty scuppet or scoops from the dump or lower end of the apparatus back to the point of excavation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be protected by Letters Patent, is

1. An excavating apparatus comprising removable supporting-frames located a predetermined distance apart, an inclined trackway suspended therebetween, excavating scuppets or scoops, means for drawing the scuppets or scoops against the earth so as to load same and elevating the filled excavating scuppets or scoops and placing the same onto the suspension-trackway, means adj ustably connected to the trackway for regulating the length of cut for the scuppets or scoops, and devices located at the lower end of the trackway for causing the scuppets or scoops to automatically discharge the excavated material carried thereby when said end of the trackway is reached.

' 2. An excavating apparatus comprising removable supporti ngframes,an inclined trackway suspended therebetween, excavating scuppet or scoop, means whereby the scuppet or scoop is drawn against and filled with the earth to be removed and the said scuppet or scoop elevated and placed onto the said traclo way, means adj ustably secured to the inclined trackway for regulating the length of cut for the scuppet or scoop, devices located at the lower end of the trackway for causing the scuppet or scoop to automatically discharge its load of excavated material when the scuppet or scoop reaches such portion of the trackway, and means for returning the empty scuppet or scoop to the point of excavation.

3. The combination with the supportingframes located a distance apart, of the cabletrackway supported thereby above the line of work, the hoist-head adjustably secured to the said trackway, hoisting means working therethrough, a scuppet or scoop hook carried by the hoisting means, excavating scup- IIO pet or scoop detachably connected to said hook, means for operating the hoisting means, guide-rolls attached to the sides of the scuppet or scoop which engage with the cabletrackway when the scuppet or scoop is lowered, and means attached to the cable-trackway for automatically emptying the scuppet or scoop of its load.

4. The combination with an inclined cabletrackway, of hoisting means working therethrough, a scuppet or scoop detachably connected thereto, mechanism whereby the hoisting means are operated to draw the scuppet or scoop against the earth to fill the same with earth to be removed and place the loaded scuppet or scoop onto the inclined trackway, means whereby the scuppet or scoop is caused to automatically dump its load when the lower end of the trackway is reached, of the return-carrier for the empty scuppet or scoop, a

hand.

WALTER COLE. In presence of F. H. Goss, T. O. VAN EPPs. 

